1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to a user instruction input device including a movement sensor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a user instruction input device capable of inputting force intensity and rotation intensity naturally and accurately based on device movements in a three-dimensional space.
2. Description of the Related Art
As computer science develops, various devices that allow users to input information in a computer device have been developed. One of such devices is called a user command input device. As a user manipulates such device components, position data corresponding to motion of the user command input device are generated. Also, such position data are converted into motions of a pointer image shown on the display. Hence, by moving the user command input device, the user may link the pointer image with objects displayed on the display. Here, an object refers to a user interface that allows a certain action to be performed when a menu, a button or an image is selected. After that, the user can perform a certain command related with the corresponding object through a selection action such as pushing a certain button of the user command input device.
General personal computer users use operating systems with graphical user interfaces, such as Microsoft Windows and MAC OS X, to operate their computer. This is due to convenient mouse functions and various graphic functions that are not supported in console based operating systems such as DOS (Disk Operating System) system and some UNIX versions, and users can simply input commands through a mouse dragging, scrolling or a click without a keyboard input.
On the other hand, various commands are inputted using a key pad prepared on a remote control device in an image display device that cannot use a keyboard or a mouse that is used in a personal computer, such as a digital TV, a set-top box, a game machine. Such a key pad input method has been mainly used because such devices are not fixed on a certain position for the operation of the device unlike a personal computer, and operation is necessary in an open space such as a living room, so it is difficult to use an input means fixed on a plane such as a keyboard or mouse.
Considering such problems, three-dimensional user command input devices with a motion sensor such as a gyroscope and an accelerometer are recently being developed. By moving a three-dimensional user command input device, a user can move a pointer image on the corresponding display in a desired direction and at a desired speed, and by pushing a certain button on the user command input device, the user can select and execute a desired action.
Recently, various systems that use three-dimensional user instruction input devices such as game consoles, aviation simulation devices and sports simulation devices are being introduced. In such new systems, in addition to controlling linear movements of objects on the screen simply through user input devices (e.g., controlling the pointer on the screen), various forms of methods of inputting user commands such as transmitting force to objects existing in the three-dimensional space or making rotations using the input device can be used.
Likewise, the most important point in transmitting a momentum such as force or rotation to objects, is how naturally objects on the screen respond (or operate) in response to the user actions of moving the actual input device. The user's feeling on how naturally such objects on the screen respond would be different depending on the user, but from the perspective of the simulation, the physical response to a certain input would be unique. Hence, it is essential to regulate the relationship between the input and the response so that the input is close to the unique response.